A yearning to try his hand as a striker has tempted 21-year-old former Bradford City keeper Jon Worsnop into Alliance football at First Division club Westwood.

The youngster - who was on the substites' bench for City's last game in the Premiership at Coventry in May, 2001 - soon showed his mettle, collecting a double-figure goal tally in Westwood's final six games of last

season.

In this, his first full season, Worsnop is already in double figures again and with his partnership alongside club newcomer Gary Shaw - one of the Sunday League's most prolific scorers - looking set to blossom, this could well be the season when Westwood finally make their move into Premier Division football.

Having a stepdad in Paul Booth - who had been one of the top keepers at local level for two decades, appearing in more finals and winning more championship titles in his time with East Bowling Unity than most players dream about - was the required catalyst for a youngster wanting to follow in his father's footsteps.

"I used to toddle along to his games when he was at Eccleshill on Saturdays and Sundays with East Bowling and if it hadn't been for him encouraging and criticising when needed, I don't believe I would have got the YTS at Bradford City at 16."

City's financial difficulties forced an end to his time at Valley Parade after three seasons, but his time at the club did give him the chance to work under a goalkeeping legend.

"Working with Neville Southall was fantastic. He even used to pick me up every morning. I made around 60 appearances for the reserves, a lot of them against teams from the Premier League and probably the biggest highlight was getting half a game in Stuart McCall's testimonial."

Mark Wright gave him a year's contract at Chester, where he teamed up with another fellow local product, Ryan Sugden (now at Halifax Town).

He looked to be going to Hereford on a year's contract before the deal fell through at the last minute, and then he became part of a former City players connection (Ben Jones and Andy Lee being the others) playing in the Welsh League with Aberystwyth Town. Recalling the experience, Worsnop says: "The attraction was the possibility of European football, but in the end a four-hour journey for every home game just got too much."

Now, along with Lee again and Carl Serrant, Worsnop has joined another Bradford clan, this time at Droylsden at Unibond League level.

And how did the move into the Alliance football come about?

"Anthony Baker, who plays midfield at the club, has been my mate since I was little. I've always fancied a go at playing up front and because I'm no longer contracted at Saturday level, I agreed to join him at Westwood on the proviso I didn't play in goal. I enjoyed it at the back end of last season and with all the changes going on at the club this season I think we can take the club up into the Premier."

Westwood have welcomed Johnny Price and Andy Hill on board this season to help run the side and, with their previous record with East Bowling, there's a new buzz about the side and expectations are high.

Shaw and Worsnop look to have already hit it off and the player to benefit is Carlo Moorhouse, who, playing directly behind the pair, has been able to take advantage of the duo's height. He picks up the pieces and has got his own goalscoring run going.

Mark Bowers is playing so well in goal that Jon might even have a job replacing him.

The club's former player manager Lee Innes, better known in rugby league circles these days, has returned, and there is continued talk of a couple of former City players joining the promotion push.

With East Bowling folding last season, step dad 'Boothie' has switched his allegiance to West Bowling, one of the sides vying for promotion with Westwood. Unfortunately, a fall injury has delayed his first appearance.

Recently Jon scored for Westwood against Bowling and asked if his dad would have saved it. He replied: "He'd have been nowhere near it!"